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Monday, 15 February 2016

The Steps To Be Followed In Surgical Drain Management

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By Nancy Hamilton


It is a common practice to insert drain at the site of operation if there is a risk of bleeding after the operation. The items are meant to allow air and other kinds of discharges to find their way out of the body. If they are left to accumulate, post-operation complications will come up. Therefore, proper surgical drain management is essential.

The professionals involved in care provision can determine the kind of discharge coming from the site through observing it and carrying out other types of analyses. The correct diagnosis cannot be made if this is not done. However, they should be managed well.

The purpose, type sand even site of the drain determines the management procedures to be carried out. The instructions given by the operating doctor should be followed to the latter. All written protocols should be read and understood before major steps are taken. When further clarifications are needed, the doctor should be contacted. It is better to do this than providing the wrong care.

The conduits are either closed or open. Corrugated rubber and also plastic are the major products used in production of the drains. They empty into stoma bags or gauze pads. The situation increases the chances of infection. It is upon the care provider to plan the care process to minimize this. Closed conduits are seen mainly in patients who have undergone chest, orthopedic or abdominal operations. The risk of suffering from infections is low when these drains are placed.

Suction is essential in active drains. However, the passive ones do not necessary require this. The pressure difference between the atmosphere and body cavities is enough to keep them going. When the drains are made from rubber, they are likely to elicit allergic reactions. They should only be used when there is no any other alternative. Because the conduits can slip out, they need to be properly secured. Such a situation can easily lead to death.

In order to follow through the prognosis, the amount of drainage should be read and recorded daily. The care provider should ensure that significant changes or odd observations are reported to the surgeon. It can save the life of the patient because remedies will be executed in good time. Blood, pancreatic and bile secretions can drain through the conduit.

The care providers can determine the intravenous fluids to be administered depending on the amount of discharge released. The amount needed can be determined this way too. Hypovolemic shock can be witnessed if fluid correction is not done in the appropriate time. In addition, removal of drains is part of the management process. There is no need to cause further trauma to the patient when the conduit is not serving any significant purpose.

The absence of active drainage is a sure sign that the conduit should be withdrawn. However, the process should be done systematically. The whole tube should not be pulled out at once. It has to be removed gradually to allow for healing. When this is not done, the wound might take a long time to heal. Thus, the patient will come back within a short while with complaints of pain due to a reawakened wound.




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